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Tag: Ligue 1

  • How Marseille convinced Aubameyang to return to Ligue 1

    How Marseille convinced Aubameyang to return to Ligue 1

    At the age of 36, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has made a return to Olympique de Marseille after a successful season in the Saudi Pro League with Al Qadsiah. The move strengthens Marseille’s already well-stocked attacking line, made possible by the work of Pablo Longoria and Medhi Benatia.

    It’s one of the great stories of the Ligue 1 transfer window. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will be making his return to the Orange Velodrome in a few weeks’ time against Paris FC on Matchday 2 of Ligue 1, much to the delight of Marseille fans.

    Even if the Gabon international’s last season was complicated in terms of the team’s sporting results, his individual contribution inevitably left Marseille with fond memories.

    He scored 30 goals and provided 11 assists in all competitions, helping OM reach the semi-finals of the Europa League. These figures had not been reached since Didier Drogba in the 2003/04 season (32 goals).

    However, Marseille were forced to downsize their squad and Aubameyang was one of the players who had to jump ship because his salary (€7.2 million a year) was deemed too high.

    The option of Saudi Arabia then arose, and the player joined Al Qadsiah for €6.5 million. In the Saudi Pro League, the Gabonese player maintained his standards last season, compiling 17 goals in the Saudi league.

    Despite his age of 36, the former Arsenal star is proving that he is still competitive and could therefore be a valuable addition to OM’s squad.

    Good relationship between Longoria and Aubameyang crucial

    A year later, Aubameyang has returned as a free agent after terminating his contract with Al Qadsiah, with one year remaining on his contract. Naturally, he will earn far less than he did in Saudi Arabia (€20 million a year), but more importantly, his salary at OM will be lower than it was during his first spell at the club.

    A considerable effort on the part of the player, made possible thanks to his very close relationship with Pablo Longoria. Despite his departure from OM, the two men have always maintained an excellent, friendly relationship, the Spaniard having always appreciated the player’s personality and professionalism. Circumstances forced them to part ways in 2024, but the relationship remained intact.

    The two men have remained in contact ever since, and during an exchange between them in June, according to our information, Aubameyang explained to Longoria that he wanted to leave Al Qadsiah this summer.

    The Spaniard then asked him if he would like to return to Marseille, to which the Gabonese replied ‘yes’ without any hesitation whatsoever. Marseille, therefore, became the player’s priority if he were to leave Saudi Arabia, and that’s when Medhi Benatia entered the loop.

    The Gabon international had to negotiate the termination of his contract with the Saudi club, which he managed to obtain on July 17th, a month after that famous discussion with Pablo Longoria.

    Two weeks later, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang landed at Marseille Provence Airport, welcomed by OM fans thanks to the hard work of the club’s director of football.

    Known for working day and night, Benatia led negotiations with the striker’s entourage until a total agreement was reached on the terms of his salary (around €4.2 million a year). Another fine lesson in club management from the Moroccan.

    Tribalfootball

  • Ligue 1: Monaco halt PSG’s title celebrations

    Ligue 1: Monaco halt PSG’s title celebrations

    Monaco moved up to second place in Ligue 1 after a 2-1 comeback victory over Nice at Stade Louis II in the Derby de la Côte d’Azur, preventing their opponents from completing their first league double in this fixture since the 2004/05 season in the process.

    The hosts had a golden chance to take the lead inside five minutes when visiting midfielder Benjamin Santamaria’s poorly chosen pass caused his goalkeeper Marcin Bułka to be rushed into a clearance which allowed Monaco to regain possession, with Santamaria consequently catching Breel Embolo from behind and conceding a penalty.

    However, Mika Biereth, so prolific following his transfer from Sturm Graz in January, saw his spot-kick aimed low to Bułka’s left saved by the Pole, who crucially stuck out a right boot to clear as Biereth moved in to try and bury the rebound.

    Not long afterwards, the lively Takumi Minamino almost put Monaco in front, curling an effort against the crossbar, while at the other end, just before the half-hour mark, Caio Henrique made a timely intervention to thwart Nice’s talisman Evann Guessand.

    Maghnes Akliouche then had the opportunity to make it 1-0, but his first-time shot was straight at Bulka, and Nice duly punished Monaco’s earlier wastefulness, as Jonathan Clauss’ pinpoint cross was headed in superbly by Jeremie Boga.

    Monaco head coach Adi Hutter was encouraged enough by his side’s first-half display not to make any changes at the break, and he was rewarded for his patience on 55 minutes as Lamine Camara’s incisive pass found Akliouche, whose clever flick was powered home by Biereth, making amends for his earlier penalty error with his 12th Ligue 1 goal in just his 10th appearance in the competition.

    Akliouche soon had the chance to turn the game on its head after being fed by Biereth, but again, his strike was too close to Bulka, before referee Jerome Brisard then became embroiled in a VAR controversy, choosing to uphold his decision not to give a penalty for Dante’s challenge on Breel Embolo.

    Embolo brushed off that disappointment though to score what proved to be the winner as Akliouche capitalised on a slip by Dante to find the Switzerland international, who manoeuvred his body effectively to keep the ball before firing home with aplomb.

    After that 73rd-minute goal, Monaco did not face much of a Nice fightback, and after Dante was given a straight red card in stoppage time for clipping Akliouche as the last man, Hütter’s men have now taken 10 points from their last four games ahead of a trip next Saturday to Brest, while Nice will look to end what is now a three-match winless run when they host Nantes a day earlier.

    Tribalfootball

  • Ligue 1: Lyon set to send Gift Orban on loan

    Ligue 1: Lyon set to send Gift Orban on loan

    Olympique Lyon is considering loaning out Gift Orban for the 2024/25 season. Orban joined the former Ligue 1 champions in January but has struggled to make an impact at the club.

     

    Reports from France indicate that two clubs are interested in acquiring the striker on loan. One offer comes from the Brazilian club Botafogo, which may not be attractive to Orban.

     

    The second offer is from Major League Soccer’s Colorado Rapids. This move might be more appealing to Orban due to his English-speaking background, which could provide a more comfortable environment.

    Orban was invited for one of the Super Eagles World Cup qualifiers but couldn’t play as he cropped an injury in training.

     

    The Nigerian was only able to record just a single goal for Lyon since joining in January.

  • Ligue 1: Mason Greenwood joins Marseille FC

    Ligue 1: Mason Greenwood joins Marseille FC

    Manchester United have announced that Mason Greenwood has transferred permanently to French Ligue 1 club Olympique Marseille. Greenwood, who had not played for United since January 2022, spent last season on loan at Getafe, where he scored 10 goals and provided six assists, earning the club’s Player of the Season award.

     

    He was arrested in January 2022 and later charged with attempted rape, assault, and controlling and coercive behavior in October 2022. However, the charges were dropped in February 2023 when key witnesses withdrew, and Greenwood has denied any wrongdoing.

     

    Greenwood’s potential move to Marseille was met with backlash from the club’s fans, who started a #GreenwoodNotWelcome campaign when he was first linked to the team. The mayor of Marseille, Benoît Payan, also opposed the move and expressed his intention to urge the club’s president, Pablo Longoria, to reconsider the decision.

  • Ligue 1: PSG desperate to sign Osimhen, ready to swap three players for the Nigerian striker

    Ligue 1: PSG desperate to sign Osimhen, ready to swap three players for the Nigerian striker

    Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint Germain (PSG) have launched a desperate bid for Nigerian international Victor Osimhen.

    The desperation is shown with the Paris based club offering three of their players in a potential exchange deal for the Nigerian international.

    According to reports,  PSG have offered the likes of Carlos Soler, Nordi Mukiele and Kang-In Lee in a straight swap for Osimhen.

    The report added that the deal has implications for Romelu Lukaku’s Chelsea future as discussions are ongoing around a deal that may involve at least one of the PSG players moving to Napoli.

    Lukaku, who spent last season on loan at Roma, is wanted by new Napoli manager Antonio Conte in case Osimhen leaves the Serie A club this summer.

    Many English clubsides and now PSG have signified their interest in signing the Super Eagles striker and the current African footballer of the year.

  • PSG crowned Ligue 1 champions with 3rd straight title win

    PSG crowned Ligue 1 champions with 3rd straight title win

    Paris St Germain were crowned Ligue 1 champions for a record-extending 12th time on Sunday, as their third straight title was wrapped up.

    This was following another dominant domestic campaign when second-placed AS Monaco lost 3-2 at Olympique Lyonnais.

    PSG, who missed the chance to secure the title on Saturday when they drew 3-3 draw with Le Havre, have 70 points, 12 ahead of Monaco with three games remaining.

    “Winning the league is fantastic, but winning Ligue 1 for the twelfth time is even more special for everyone connected to Paris Saint-Germain.

    “We’re going to enjoy this moment as a family. And also keep working hard, game after game, until the last moment of the season,” PSG President Nasser Al-Khelaifi said on the club’s website.

    Monaco were the only side left who could prevent PSG lifting the title, but their faint hopes were extinguished in Lyon as they fell to their first defeat in nine games, despite taking an early lead.

    The visitors scored with a little over 20 seconds on the clock, with Wissam Ben Yedder tapping home Takumi Minamino’s cross at the back post.

    But Monaco were 2-1 down within 25 minutes through goals from Alexandre Lacazette and Said Benrahma.

    Ben Yedder brought the sides level again on the hour mark, heading home a floated ball into the box by Youssouf Fofana.

    But it was Lyon who found a winner six minutes from time with Malick Fofana scoring from outside the area.

    After Saturday’s draw which kept the champagne on ice, PSG manager Luis Enrique was unconcerned, safe in the knowledge that their far superior goal difference meant the title was all but assured.

    “We’re champions. I don’t care if there’s a party or not.

    “We have a goal difference of plus 29 on the second place, I already feel like champions. Even if we don’t score any more points, we’ll be champions,” the coach said.

    The Spaniard, who took over at PSG at the end of last season, was proved right, as they secured their 10th title in 12 seasons without having to play another game.

    The champions have suffered just one league defeat this season, against Nice in September and while they made a slow start to their campaign, once they took top spot after matchday 12, they never looked back.

    PSG went 3-1 down to relegation battling Le Havre, but a Goncalo Ramos goal late in added time salvaged a point, and extended their unbeaten league run to 26 games, but the manager said that didn’t concern him.

    “I don’t care if I’m undefeated. That goal gave us the title.

    “That, and for the rage I had because we didn’t play much. We’re missing two titles, we’re going to do everything we can to get them,” Luis Enrique said.

    PSG are still involved in the Champions League, and they also have the Coupe de France final against Lyon to come, in what could turn out to be the club’s finest ever season.

    Striker Kylian Mbappe is leaving at the end of the campaign, and would love to bow out on a high, and this season is already his best in terms of goals scored, netting 43 times in all competitions.

    It has long been PSG’s goal to win the Champions League, but few expected it in the manager’s first season.

    Now that the league title is secured, the treble-bid is on, beginning on Wednesday with the semi-final first leg against Borussia Dortmund.

  • Ligue 1: Mbappe leads PSG to brink of title with victory over Lorient

    Ligue 1: Mbappe leads PSG to brink of title with victory over Lorient

    Kylian Mbappe turned on the style as Paris St Germain eased to within touching distance of a third successive Ligue 1 title with a 4-1 victory at relegation-haunted Lorient.

    The 25-year-old scored twice and also set up Ousmane Dembele for the second of his two goals with a touch of genius to maintain the Champions League semi-finalists’ 11-point advantage over second-placed Monaco.

    PSG can claim a sixth crown in seven years against Le Havre on Saturday.

    Luis Enrique’s men are now unbeaten in 25 league games dating back to September 15 while Lorient, who pulled one back through substitute Mohamed Bamba amid a late flurry, are three points from safety.

    With Mbappe starting in one of nine changes to the side which lined up for Sunday’s 4-1 home win over Lyon, PSG began in patient mood with the hosts enjoying a fair share of possession and mustering the first attempt on goal, a wayward seventh-minute strike from Gedeon Kalulu.

    Indeed, they should have taken the lead with 12 minutes gone when Kalulu played the ball into the path of Imran Louza, whose cut-back was steered wastefully wide by Ayman Kari.

    However, Lorient keeper Yvon Mvogo had to get down well to palm away Mbappe’s curling 17th-minute effort, but was helpless to prevent the visitors from taking the lead two minutes later.

    Senny Mayulu won possession on halfway and slipped the ball into Dembele’s run before watching him cut inside Isaak Toure and Julien Laporte and place the ball inside the stranded Mvogo’s right post.

    It was 2-0 within three minutes after Mbappe picked out Nuno Mendes on the left and then made his way into the box, where he dispatched the return pass just inside the other upright with an outrageous flick.

    Louza dragged a long-range effort wide and Gianluigi Donnarumma had to make a stunning save to keep out Tiemoue Bakayoko’s downward header from a Louza corner, but Dembele curled a 42nd-minute corner on to the roof of Mvogo’s net as the Parisians finished the first half strongly.

    The hosts returned determined to remain compact in an attempt to frustrate the visitors and, as a result, initially found themselves camped deep inside their own half with Fabian Ruiz dictating play from the middle of the field.

    However, the game was rather meandering towards the hour-mark when Mbappe produced another piece of magic, holding off defender Nathaniel Adjei before poking the ball through his legs and then crossing for Dembele to tap home.

    Bamba’s bullet header from fellow substitute Benjamin Mendy’s cross seconds later reduced the deficit and Donnarumma had to block Panos Katseris’ late effort with his foot, but Mbappe wrapped up the win at the death, cutting in from the left to shoot past Mvogo.

  • Ligue 1: Lyon manager left bleeding from head after team bus attack

    Ligue 1: Lyon manager left bleeding from head after team bus attack

    Marseille’s Ligue 1 home match with Lyon was postponed after Lyon boss Fabio Grosso was injured when the team coach was attacked on the way to the ground.

    Images on social media showed a bloodied Grosso laid on a stretcher.

    According to AFP, the Lyon coach was hit by rocks on its way to Stade Velodrome.

    The game between bottom-of-the table Lyon and 10th-placed Marseille was due to kick off at 19:45 GMT on Sunday.

    Thousands of fans were already inside the ground when the announcement was made that the game had been postponed.

    “We took into account Lyon’s desires for the match not to take place,” said match referee Francois Letexier at a news conference.

    French football expert Julien Laurens, writing on X, described it as a “terrible image for French football”.

    “What a scandalous mess,” he added. “This is not the first time this has happened (and not the last sadly) but I have no words for this. Unacceptable again.”

    BBC

  • Ligue 1: France FA suspends four key PSG players over offensive chants

    Ligue 1: France FA suspends four key PSG players over offensive chants

    Four key players at Paris Saint-Germain PSG  have been suspended for making offensive chants.

    The suspended players are Ousmane Dembele, Achraf Hakimi, Layvin Kurzawa and Randal Kolo Muani

    The  players have been handed a one-match suspended sentence by the French league’s discipline commission for offensive chants aimed at bitter rival Marseille after a league match last month.

    The four players allegedly shouted: “Marseillais, go f*ck your mothers” in video clips that have gone viral on social.

    Dembele, Hakimi, Kurzawa and Muani have since all apologized for their actions.

    PSG have also been ordered to close the famous Auteuil stand for at least one match as a result of homophobic chants directed towards Marseille fans.

    The match at the Parc des Princes was also marred by homophobic chanting by sections of Paris Saint-Germain fans targeting Marseille players. As a result, the league ordered late Thursday the closure of the Auteuil stand for two matches, including one suspended.

    The club, after pledging to “meet its partners on this vital issue” in late September, criticized the France FA’s decision.

    “Paris Saint-Germain deplores that the disciplinary committee has decided to apply an extraordinary sanction against the club by pronouncing the closure of the Auteuil stand for two matches, one of which will be suspended.”

  • Ligue 1: Onuachu to join Metz on season long loan

    Ligue 1: Onuachu to join Metz on season long loan

    Paul Onuachu, Super Eagles forward, will play the remainder of season 2023/24 at French Ligue 1 side Metz on loan.

    French news outlet, L’equipe, reports that  Southampton has agreed to allow the gangling striker join Metz for the 2023/24 season.

    Onuachu joined Southampton from Belgian Pro League outfit, KRC Genk in January but got relegated with the Saints last season.

    The 29-year-old will replace Georges Mikautadze, who left for Eredivisie giants, Ajax this week.

    Onuachu failed to register a goal in 12 appearances for Southampton last season.

    The gangling striker was very clinical in front of goal for Genk, scoring 85 goals in 134 appearances for the Belgian club before his transition to Southampton.